Sappho, her mystery

For the love of Woman Human Man

Then there is the question of Sappho and Lesbian love. While praised in Antiquity she was later during the Christian times denounced as a homosexual woman without morale. But while the last words by no means is said about her, it might be worthwhile to take into account the time period and the cultural conditions within which she lived.

We first have to realize that in her day and time love between like sexes, wether men or women, was looked at quite differently than it is today. It was accepted as normal, in fact neccessary as a social introduction into married life.

The question seems to be whether Sappho was writing out of her own emotional depths and experiences or from a social awareness that she had to prepare young women for married life. Or a combination of these two aspects. Women in that time lived separate from men before the wedding, after it the men often were too busy with their offical life to pay much attention to their wives. Preparing for, and entering into married life then became an entirely female procedure which seems to point at a strong female unity in society. Thus it can be questioned that she was "lesbian" in the same sense of the word as we use it today. Researchers who enter upon this field have to deal with both their own cultural values and opinions in the matter, and with the results of so many hundreds of years of influence from the Christian Church who condemned her and burned her poems. It is not a lightweight question, nor is it to be put out to be blown around by convenient trends of modern day opinion.

Blest as the immortal gods is he,
The youth who fondly sits by thee,
And hears and sees thee, all the while,
Softly speaks and sweetly smile.

'Twas this deprived my soul of rest,
And raised such tumults in my breast;
For, while I gazed, in transport tossed,
My breath was gone, my voice was lost;

My bosom glowed; the subtle flame
Ran quick through all my vital frame;
O'er my dim eyes a darkness hung;
My ears with hollow murmurs rung;

In dewy damps my limbs were chilled;
My blood with gentle horrors thrilled:
My feeble pulse forgot to play;
I fainted, sunk, and died away.

'Ode to a Loved One'
Translation: Ambrose Philips, 'Greek Poets in English Verse'
Editor: William Hyde Appleton, The Riverside Press, Cambridge 1893.

Today her name Sappho has become equal to homosexuality between women. Her home island Lesbos has also lent its name; to be Lesbian means to be homosexual. However that may be, we must not forget the musician and poet Sappho for which she has acquired world-wide and time-wide love and admiration. And, after all, what is Love if not at least tolerance of others having other values?

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